Well cementing apparatus



July .16, 1957 J. s. PAGE WELL CEMENTING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-sheet 1.

Filed .June 8, v195s INVENTR.

BY 'K .4free/Vey,

J. S. PAGE WELL CEMENTING APPARATUS July 16, 1957 Filed Julie. 8. 1953 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

A Trona/5y.

United States PatentQ WELL CEMENTING APPARATUS John S. Page, Long Beach,Calif. Application June 8, 1953, Serial No. 360,053 Claims. (Cl. 16d-212) rlfhis invention has to do with well cementing apparatus andA i`sparticularly concerned with apparatus for use where tubing is employedin a well casing to supply cement,lor the like, into the well. It is aVgeneral object of the invention to provide apparatus of this generalcharacter which is of simple, practical, economical construction andwhich is dependable and effective in action.

Itis not uncommon to employ a tubing in a well, for instance, within awell casing to supply cement, or the like, into the well as, forinstance, into the lower end portion of the casing or to discharge intothe well from the casing. Such cementing operations involve the handlingof cement or other uids at high pressure and variations in `uidpressure, all of which make it highly advantageous that the lower endportion of the tubing employed in carrying out such an operation beanchored or secured in the casing against undesirable movement orshifting therein. It is an object of this invention to provideVapparatus for the handling of cement by means of a tubing and includingstructure whereby the lower end portion and the tubing from which thecement is discharged is established in gripping engagement with thecasing so that it does not move or 'shifttherein It is another object ofthis invention to provide apparatus of theY general character referredto wherein a gripping mechanism is provided in or carried by the tubingin combination with a fluid control valve and a packer, which grippingmechanism is adapted to be actuated by fluid pressure to grip the casingin which the tubing is located when pressure conditions occur that wouldtend to cause shifting of the tubing in the casing.

It is another object of this invention to provide apparatus of thegeneral character referred to characterized by a simple, practical,improved construction for a grippingvmechanism adapted to be actuated byfluid pressure and toy be carried by a tubing to elfectively anchor thetubing in a well casing.

Itis another object of this invention to provide a simple, practical,improved anchor construction of the general character referred towherein jaws are provided to engage the well casing and are combined ina pair or so related as to cooperate so that they cannot separate orbecome displaced in-.a manner to be lost in the well. v

vIt isl another object of this invention to provide an anchor.construction of the general character referred to characterized-by aplurality of pairs of jaws, spaced apart longitudinally of the anchorand circumferentially of the anchor to have effective grippingengagement in a well casing and wherein the jaws of each pair arecoupled orlinked together against separation with the result that thejaws will not'become lost in the well. .,The various objects andfeatures of my inventionr will be fully understood from the followingdetailed description of a typical preferred form and application of myinvention, throughout which description reference is made to theaccompanying drawings, in which:- "Eig, 1 is a longitudinal sectionalview of a well casing Patented July .16, 1957 flee 2 showing apparatusembodying the present vinvention arranged therein with the valveprovided by the invention open, the gripper provided by the presentinvention inactuated and the packing means provided by the inventionwith one element engaged with the casing and the other inactuated. Fig.2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the valve constructionshown in Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal, detailed, sectional view ofthe packer construction shown in Fig. l. Fig. 4 is an enlarged view ofthe gripper construction shown in Fig. l with parts thereof broken awayto show in section thereto illustrating the details of constructionemployed in the gripper. Fig. 5 is a plane section taken as indicated byline 5 5 on Fig. 4, and Fig. 6 is a view of the portion of the structureshown in Fig. 4 showing the grippers of one pair actuated or in grippingengagement with the casing.

The apparatus as provided by the present invention is adapted to beoperated in a well casing A which may be considered as set or in fixedposition in a well. A tubing B is provided in the casing extendingdownwardly therein to the desired location and serves to carry a valveC, a gripper D, and a packing means E. In accordance with the presentinvention the tubing B is considerably smaller in size than the casing Awith the result that there is an open space or annulus 10 between thecasing and the tubing. In practice, the valve C, gripper D and means Eare carried by the tubing B and may be individually inserted in orconnected to the tubing or they may be connected one to the other and asa group inserted in the tubing, as shown in Fig. l of the drawings. Inthe drawings and in accordance with the invention, the valve C isconnected to the tubing, and the gripper D is below the valve and may beconnected thereto to depend therefrom. The packing means E is below thevgripper D and may be connected directly thereto to depend therefrom. lfdesired there may be a portion or section 11 of the tubing B connectedto and depending from the packing means E.

The valve C is shown connected to the tubing B as by a suitable coupling12 and is preferably a sleeve type valve adapted to be operated, thatis, opened or closed, by manipulation of the tubing. In particular caseillustrated the valve is adapted to be operated by vertical movement orreciprocation of the tubing.

The valve C, as shown in the drawings, includes a single, tubular body13, the upper end of which is connected to the tubing B by the coupling12 while the lower end receives or carries the upper end of the gripperD. The body 13 is a simple, straight unit, round in cross section,establishing a flow passage 14 extending continuously from the tubing Bto the gripper D. One or more lateral ports or openings 15 are providedin the body 13 at the lower'end portion thereof.

The valve C further includes a sleeve 16 slidable relative to thetubular body 13 to vary in position relative to the jaw between an up oropen position where it is above the ports 15 and a down or closedposition where it is over or covers the ports. ln actual operation thesleeve remains relatively stationary in the well casing A, and the body13 of the valve moves vertically to effect opening and closing of thevalve.

Suitable packing means, such as annular packings 17, are carried by thesleeve at the end portions thereof and provide sealing engagementbetween the ends of the sleeve and the exterior of the body 13. Asuitable control means is provided and includes one or more casingengaging elements 18 operable to normally resist movement of the'sleevein the well casing. In the particular case illustrated the members 18are circumferentially spaced outwardly bowed leaf springs carried by andextending between the end portions of the sleeve and adapted to bearoutwardly against the interior of the well casing. With the constructionjust described the sleeve 13 will assume a position such as is shown inFigs. l and 2 of the drawings in the course of lowering of the tubinginto the casing, the upper end of the sleeve 16 being stopped againstthe coupling 12 that connects the body 16 and tubing B. As the tubing islowered the valve is moved downwardly in the casing against theresistance offered by the engagement of the leaf springs 18 due to theirfrictional engagement with the casing. When the casing has been loweredto the desired position or whenever it is desired to close the valve,upward movement of the tubing B will result in relative movement betweenthe valve body and the valve sleeve with the result that the ports willbe covered by the valve sleeve.

The gripper D, as provided by the present invention, is located belowthe valve C and may be directly connected to the valve C to extend downtherefrom. ln the case illustrated the gripper- D includes an elongatetubular case` 2t* with end portions 21 and 22 in the form of cou* plingsand with an enlarged middle portion 23 extending between and connectingthe end portions. The coupling portion or end 21 of case D is showndirectly connected or threaded to the lower end of the body of the valveC.

The invention provides one or more cylinders in connection with the case20, and in the preferred construction a plurality of cylinders 30 arecarried by the enlarged middle portion 23 of the case. The cylinders 30are preferably alike and are diametrically disposed relative to themiddle portion Z3 of the case 20 and are spaced apart lengthwise of thecase. Further, the several cylinders are in different positionscircumferentially of the case, for instance, in the case illustrated inthe drawings, there are three cylinders Sil spaced 120 degrees apartaround the axis of the case.

Where the middle portion 23 of the case 20 is tubular or shell-like, asis shown in the drawings, the cylinders 30 are preferably simple,straight, tubular elements extending through or across the interior ofthe case with clearance and so that they have their ends engaged with orxed to the portion 23 of the case diametrically opposed thereon. In thepreferred construction, each cylinder 30 is a simple, straight,cylindrical element with its ends xed to the portion 23 of the case Ztlas by welding W. Each cylinder is provided with a straight, smooth,cylindrical bore and is open at both ends. It is to be observed that thecylinders are smaller in diameter than the middle portion 23 of the case20 so that there are passageways 36 in the case extending past thecylinders so that fluid can be circulated through the gripper D from oneend to the other in the course of which the fluid flows around theseveral cylinders.

ln accordance with the invention a pair of jaws 4t) is carried in eachcylinder Sil and each jaw has a head portion 4t which is round andslidably engaged in the bore 35 of the cylinder. The outer or terminalend of each head 41 is curved and provided with teeth 4.2, the curvaturebeing preferably about equal and to the curvature occurring at theinterior of the well casing A. A stem 45 projects from the inner end ofeach head 41, and the stems are such as to overlap and each is providedwith or carries a stop lug 46. In the construction provided, each stem45 is slightly less than half-round in cross section and has the stemsoverlap establishing a space 47 between them. The lugs 46 are at theterminal ends of the stems 45 and project from the opposing sides of thestems and are such as to engage one with the other and thereby preventoutward movement of the jaws 4G relative to each other in a manner thatwould result in separation of the jaws, or their becoming displaced fromthe cylinder.

With the construction just described the two jaws in each cylinder areexactly alike in form and construction and from the drawings it will beapparent how they are lapped or meshed together so that they are freelyand independently movable relative to each other within the limits ofthe construction, that is, they can be moved to retracted positionswhere the toothed terminal ends of the heads 41 are within the limits ofor within the conlines of the middle portion 23 of the case and they canindividually move outward until the toothed ends of the jaws engage andgrip the well casing; however, under no circumstances can they moveoutwardly to such extent as to become free of and separate from the caseZtl.

In accordance with the invention a sealing means is provided inconnection with each gripper 40, for instance, as shown in the drawingsa sealing ring 50 may be carried by each gripper head 41 to have asealing engagement with the bore 45 of the cylinder carrying thegrippers. Further, one or more ports 51 are provided in the cylinder andthe middle portion thereof so that lluid from within the case 20 isadmitted into the middle portion of the cylinder to act on the jaws 20and tend to move or force the jaws outwardly from the ends of thecylinder.

ln the preferred construction stops 60 are provided to check or preventturning of the jaws 40 in the cylinders, and the stops may also serve tolimit outward movement of the jaws. In the case illustrated each stop isshown as a plate fastened to the middle portion 23 of case 20 bysuitable fastening means such as a screw 61, and the plate is engaged ina suitable notch 62 engaged in the gripper head at one side thereof. Thenotches 62 in the heads of the grippers have at sides engaged by the atends of the stops or plates 60 with the result that the plates areeffective in preventing the jaws from turning in the cylinders. It is tobe observed that the heads of the jaws are set positioned so that thecurved toothed terminal ends of the heads 41 are in a position toeectively tit or engage the interior of the case A when the jaws aremoved outwardly to engage the casing.r

The packing means E shown in the drawings is carried by and depends fromthe gripper D and is shown as including a central tubular body 70, theupper end of which is threaded to the lower end portion 22 of thegripper. The packer or packing means is shown' as lincluding anexpensive packing means 71 carried on the body 70 and adapted to beoperated to expand into packing engagement with the casing A. A secondpacking means in the form of a cup 73 is carried by the body and is suchas to normally have packing or sealing engagement with the interior ofthe casing.

In the construction illustrated, a sleeve 74 is carried on the upperportion of the packer body 70 and carries rings or" packing 71. Thefollower 75 engages over the lower end portion of the sleeve 74 and isadapted to move upwardly on the sleeve to force the packing rings 71toward a collar 76 at the upper end of the sleeve. Through this actionthe rings 71 are expanded and are adapted to be moved outwardly intosealing engagement with the casing. The upper end of sleeve 74 abuts ashoulder 77 on the upper end portion of the jaw 70, and a second orlower sleeve 80 engages the lower end of the follower 75. The cup-shapedpacking 73 is carried on the lower sleeve 80 and is retained thereon bysuitable carriers 81 and 82. The cup-shaped packing 73 is fastened oropened downwardly and has a rim portion 85 normally bearing outwardlyinto sealing engagement with the interior of the casing. With thisconstruction it will be apparent that uid tending to How up around thepacker is caught by the cup-shaped packer 73 with the result that asleeve 80 is moved up causing the follower 75 to move up and causingexpansion of the packing rings 71.

In the case of a typical use of the apparatus as provided by theinvention, the equipment is lowered or run into a well casing A to thedesired position and will be stopped when the parts are positioned asshown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. Assuming the casing and the tubing tobe full of fluid, such as a mud-laden fluid, cement is pumped into thetubing D from the upper end thereof, and as the cement is pumped `downinto the tubing either as a continuous stream or as a slug of cementfollowed by mud, or the like, the fluid in the tubing D below the cementis forced out of the tubing either at the lower end thereof or throughthe ports or at both of these points. When the cement has been pumpeddown in the tubing until it reaches the valve C, the valve is operatedor closed as by picking up on the tubing whereupon further downwardcirculation of the cement as by pumping cement down in the tubing or bypumping fluid into the tubing above the cement results in the cementbeing circulated down through the gripper D and through the packingmeans E to discharge into the casing A below the packing means. As thislatter operation occurs, there is of necessity a differential inpressure between the interior of the case of the gripper and theexterior thereof with the result that the higher pressure occurringinside the case of the gripper that communicated to the jaws 40 throughthe ports 51 in the cylinders 30 results in outward movement of thegrippers until the toothed heads thereof engage and grip the interior ofthe case A as shown in Fig. 6. Through this operationvof the gripper andwhile the cementing operation is being carried out, the lower endportion of the tubing is set or gripped in the casing and will not workor shift therein.

When the cernenting operation has been completed, that is, when thedesired body of cement has been discharged from the tubing, thestructure can be released and made ready for withdrawal of the tubing asby pumping fluid downwardly at the exterior of the tubing, all of whichmay result in a washing back of some cement so that it ilows out throughthe tubing. As this washing down operation is performed, that is, as uidpressure is developed at the exterior of the tubing, the pressuredifferential at the case of the gripper is reversedand the jaws 40 ofthe gripper are retracted or moved in so that they return to theunactuated position as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings. With the jaws 40thus retracted or released, the gripper is free of the well casing andwhen fluid pressure acts downwardly around the tubing, the packing meansis released to the end that the tubing with the valve gripper andpacking means is freed and can be readily withdrawn from the casing.

Having described only a typical preferred form and application of myinvention, I do not wish to be limited or restricted to the specificdetails herein set forth, but wish to reserve to lmyself any variations-or modifications that may appear to those skilled in the art and fallwithin the scope of the following claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A mechanism adapted to be carried by a tubing string, in a wellcasing. including, an elongate tubular case engaged in the tubing stringand adapted to pass uid under pressure from the tubing, a pair ofdiamet-Y rically opposed openings in the case, an elongated tubularcylinder engaged in said openings in the case in sealed relationshiptherewith and extending transversely of the case with clearance and openat its ends outwardly of the tubular case, and a pair of jaws slidablymounted in the cylinder and adapted to be shifted in opposite directionsin the cylinder by fluid under pressure from the case and to projectfrom the case and engage the casing, the jaws being coupled together forlimited movement relative to each other, the cylinder having a portpassing fluid from the case to the cylinder between the jaws.

2. A mechanism adapted to be carried by a tubing string in a well casingincluding, an elongated tubular case engaged in the tubing string andadapted to pass uid under pressure from the tubing, a pair ofdiametrically opposed openings in the case, an elongate tubular cylinderengaged in said openings in the case in sealed relationship therewithand extending transversely of the case with clearance and open at itsends outwardly of the tubular case, and a pair of jaws slidably mountedin the cylinder and adapted to be shifted in opposite directions in thecylinder by fluid under pressure from the case and to project from thecase and engage the casing, the jaws having Ioverlapped partscooperating to limit relative movement between the jaws, the cylinderhaving a port passing fluid from the case to the cylinder between thejaws.

3. A mechanism adapted to be carried by a tubing string in a well casingincluding, an elongate tubular case engaged in' the tubing string andadapted to pass fluid under pressure from the tubing, a pair ofdiametrically opposed openings in the case, an elongate tubular cylinderengaged in said openings in the case in sealed relationship therewithand extending transversely of the case with clearance and open at itsends outwardly of the tubular case, and a pair of like jaws slidablymounted in the cylinder and adapted to be shifted in opposite directionsin the cylinder by fluid under pressure from the case and to projectfrom the case and engage the casing, the jaws having stems overlappingin the cylinder and carrying lugs cooperating to limit relative movementbetween the jaws, the cylinder having a port passing fluid from the caseto the cylinder between the jaws.

4. A mechanism adapted to be carried by a tubing string in a well casingincluding, an elongate tubular case engaged in the tubing string andadapted to pass iluid under pressure from the tubing, a pair ofdiametrically opposed Aopenings in the case, an elongate tubularcylinder engagedin said openings in the case in sealed relationshiptherewith and extending transversely of the case with clearance and openat its ends outwardly of the tubular case, a pair of jaws slidablymounted in the cylinder and adapted to be shifted in opposite directionsin the cylinder by fluid under pressure from the case and to projectfrom the case and engage the casing, and means holding the jaws againstrotation in the cylinder, the cylinder having a port passing fluid fromthe case to the cylinder between the jaws.

5. A mechanism adapted to be carried by a tubing string in a well casingincluding, an elongate tubular case engaged in the tubing string andadapted to pass fluid under pressure from the tubing, a pair ofdiametrically opposed openings in the case, an elongate tubular cylinderengaged in said openings in the case in sealed relationship therewithand extending transversely of the case with clearance and open at itsends outwardly of the tubular case, a pair of oppositely disposed jawsslidably mounted in the cylinder and adapted to be shifted in oppositedirections in the cylinder by fluid under pressure from the case and toproject from the case and engage the casing, and plates on the caseengaged in notches in the outer end portions of the jaws controllingmovement of the jaws in the cylinder, the cylinder having a port passingfluid from the case to the cylinder between the jaws.

References `Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,870,697 Taylor Aug. 9, 1932 1,951,638 Walker Mar. 20, 1934 2,352,700Ferris July 4, 1944 2,603,292 Page July 15, 1952 2,606,618 Page Aug. 12,1952 2,658,459 Page Nov. 10, 1953

